Story of My Life
by Aeri21
Summary: What if Harry had a twin sister that he never knew about...and is James really their dad? Follow Harry and Hermione as they go through the books. Starts in Goblet of Fire. Goes to the end of the Order of the Pheonix.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately for me, and fortunately for everybody else, I am not J.K. Rowling and I do not own the Harry Potter series.**

**AN: This story is canon up to the fourth book. Just a random idea I had. Review to tell me if I should continue. This chapter is really short because it's the prologue, the next chapters will be longer.**

"This is no use," Hermione said, snapping shut Weird Wizarding Dilemmas. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"

"I wouldn't mind," said Fred Weasley's voice. "Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up. Fred and George had just emerged from behind some bookshelves.

"What're you two doing here?" Ron asked.

"Looking for you," said George. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And Dumbledore sent a message for Harry."

"Why?" said Harry, surprised.

"Dunno," said Fred, shrugging.

"Well…" said Ron, "wouldn't want to keep McGonagall waiting." He slouched off. Fred and George followed him out.

"Aren't you going to open the note, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"Wha- oh, yeah." He unfurled the tightly rolled paper.

Harry,

Would you and Ms. Granger be so kind as to join me at my office at your earliest convenience?

Albus Dumbledore

P.S. I like Chocolate Frogs.

Wordlessly, Harry showed the note to Hermione, who immediately jumped up. Harry followed her out of the library. As soon as they were out of the library and Mrs. Pince could no longer swoop down on them, Harry began to talk. "Why does he want to see both of us??"

"I don't know…if he doesn't want to see Ron too, then there's nothing that we've done…maybe he figured out I helped you on the first task. I'm still trying to figure out the postsript. Why chocolate frogs?"

"You just taught me a spell - Accio. Nothing much. I think chocolate frogs is the password." They had reached the huge, ugly stone gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office.

"Chocolate frogs!" declared Harry, confidently. The gargoyle moved to the side. Hermione stepped onto the staircase and pulled Harry after her. The staircase spiraled upwards. Hermione clutched Harry's hand tightly, in fear. They had reached the door to Dumbledore's office. Hermione raised a hand to knock, but the door swung open before she had the chance.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, please have a seat." Dumbledore was sitting at his desk, beaming. Harry shot a look at Hermione, then sat in one of the chairs Dumbledore had indicated.

"Now, you must be wondering why I've called you here." Hermione opened her mouth to answer, but Dumbledore cut her off. "There is something the two of you must know. You may tell anyone you wish about this, but please exercise caution. You see, Hermione, your parents are not who you think they are…you were adopted."

"What?!?"

"It seems shocking, and indeed it must be to you, but we – I – have decided it is time to tell you the truth. Lily and James knew that twins were very powerful, that Voldemort might go after twins, so they gave one up for adoption. It was one of the hardest decisions they ever made…"

"So Hermione is -"

"Yes. Hermione is your twin sister."

"Um, sir, if I may ask something…" Dumbledore nodded. "Why are you telling us this now?"

"Dark forces are stirring, Harry, family is the most important thing we have right now…Harry, the second task is tomorrow, so I suggest you get some rest. And know that none of what has been said here tonight is known to the rest of the world - it is imperative that you keep that in mind. I'm truly sorry for the deception, and my abruptness. Ms. Granger?"

Hermione, who had been looking down at her feet to hide the tears that were pouring down her face, looked up.

"I'm sorry. I believe Professor McGonagall would like to see you." Hermione nodded. "Good luck, Mr. Potter." And with that, they were dismissed.

As they went down Harry opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. How could you say anything when someone had just found out that their whole life was a lie. Instead, he put his arm around Hermione and hugged her. He still couldn't believe that she was his twin sister…

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	2. Chapter 1: Revelations

Disclaimer: Like I said before… I AM NOT J.K. ROWLING!!!!!!!!!!

**AN: // denotes telepathic communication. Thanks to all my reviewers!!!**

/Harry can you hear me?/

/Loud and clear Hermione/

/Thank god…I was worried that distance would affect the connection./

/Nope. I'm at the Dursley's and I can hear you. Like I said, loud and clear./

/Good. Harry, I'm scared./

/Why?/

/These aren't my real parents, but - /

/Hermione, these are your parents. Regardless of your blood connection, these are your real parents./

/True. Well said Harry. But I'm going to ask them about it. Why didn't they tell me?/

/I dunno./

Hermione's POV

I sighed. We were eating dinner. Mom had made my favorite food, but I couldn't taste it. I couldn't take it any more. I burst out, "When were you planning to tell me?"

Mom and Dad shared a look. "Tell me what?" asked Dad.

"You know what!"

"Honey…"

"How long were you going to keep me in the dark? Keep my life a lie?"

"We're –"

"Sorry? Too little, too late." I didn't know where all this anger was coming from, but it felt good to let it out. I shoved my half-full plate away from me, threw my chair back, and raced up the stairs. I slammed my room door shut, and then locked it, making sure the click sounded loudly for effect. I threw myself on my bed and pulled the covers up over my head. I felt spent. There was a knock on the door.

"Hermione, please open the door. We're so sorry, we need to talk to you. Please, baby, open up." I didn't move. Let them beg at the door. I didn't care. But that night, I cried myself to sleep.

Harry's POV

I hoped Hermione was all right. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to confront her parents about this, but when Hermione had decided something, there was no way to convince her otherwise. I tried contacting Hermione through our mental link, but she was blocking me. Not a good sign.

I crept downstairs. The evening news was on. I sat on the couch and watched the news. If there was anything - mysterious disappearances, killings, weird accidents - it would be on the news. Hermione was my line to the rest of the wizarding world right now, but I could always do a bit of investigation myself. As the news became less important, I left the room. Uncle Vernon was shooting me nasty looks.

It was evening, a beautiful sunset splashing the sky. I just sat down on the edge of the step and watched the sun go down. In the distance, I saw Dudley waddling down the street. It was almost completely dark now, and I went inside, heading straight for my room. It wasn't safe for me to be out after dark, and anyways Dudley was coming home from "tea", meaning that he would now be looking to torment me. Possibly. Or he might still be slightly scared that I would do something to him, because I had just come home from school.

Hermione POV

The next morning I dragged myself out of bed. I was a mess. My naturally bushy hair had transformed into a monster, and my mouth felt like I was sucking on sandpaper. I had had a restless sleep, full of dreams that I could no longer recall. After brushing my teeth and managing to partially tame my hair, I trudged down the stairs. It was time to face my parents.

When I walked into the kitchen, Mom and Dad were already there. Dad put down his cup of coffee and the muggle newspaper. Mom just gazed anxiously at me. Then, "How did you find out?"

"Professor Dumbledore told me. Remember Harry Potter?" It was a rhetorical question. "I'm his twin sister."

"What?!"

"Yes. I was devastated when he said I was adopted. But I was even more angry than I was sad. That you never told me."

"We were going to tell you this summer. We kept on putting it off. We thought that maybe you didn't need to know. You could just think that you were a muggle-born. We only wanted the best for you. We didn't want to hurt you."

"It hurt me more that you never told me."

"We're so sorry, honey."

Harry POV

/Last night, I went completely ballistic./ Hermione was back!

/Why?/

/I just, like, exploded at my parents./

/Wow./

/I made up with them this morning. So how was your first day back./

/Typical. Any news?/

/About what? And what do you mean by typical?/

/News about Voldemort. Typical means normal. Like every other day at the Dursleys./

/Sorry. No news about You–Know–Who./

/Call him by his own name. Fear of a name - /

/ - only increases fear of the thing itself, I know. But that doesn't help./

/Whatever./ Hermione was brilliant, and she knew how much power a name carried, yet she still refused to call Voldemort by his name. It was one of the only things I didn't get about Hermione.

/I gotta go. We're going out for lunch today./

/OK. Have fun./

**1 month later**

**Hermione POV**

/Harry! HARRY!!/

/Hermione, I'm okay but - /

/You were in danger. I could _feel _it!/

/I know. I was just attacked by - / Just then Ron burst into the room.

"Hermione!! Harry was just attacked by dementors!! And he's just been expelled for casting a Patronus!"

"What?!" To Harry I said /Dementors?/

"Yeah. But Dad says that Dumbledore's working really hard to get Harry un-expelled." Just then, Ginny ran in, breathless.

"Harry's not expelled…"

"YES!" shouted Ron. I waited with baited breath for Ginny to finish her sentence.

"…yet." Oh god.

"Whaddya mean, yet?" demanded Ron. I nodded in agreement.

"There's gonna be a trial," explained Ginny. "A hearing."

"A hearing?" I demanded. "Why does he need a full hearing?"

"The ministry was trying to convict him, but Dumbledore used all his powers to stop them. They got a compromise." Ginny stated.

"The Order can't leave him with those muggles anymore. They'll have to bring him here." I reasoned.

"Hopefully." That was Ron. I tore down the staircase.

"SIRIUS!!" He was sitting in the kitchen, talking to Mrs. Weasley. I skidded to a halt. Just then, professor Lupin burst into the house.

"Harry?"

"He's okay, and he's not going to be expelled straight away."

"Thank god," Lupin muttered, collapsing in a chair.

"Are you going to explain why you came charging down the stairs screaming my name?" Sirius asked, forcing a grin.

"I just wanted to know about Harry," I muttered.

"It's going to be fine Hermione. We're going to bring him here soon, and Dumbledore's going to take care of the hearing. Don't worry." I nodded.

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	3. Chapter 2: Truths

**Disclaimer: I'm tired of saying it _already_ - I do not own Harry Potter. You've got the wrong person! You want to talk to J.K. Rowling.**

**AN: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, I'm glad you liked it! Constructive criticism is also greatly apprectiated. I'm sorry this chapter is so short, but I just had to get this out. The next chapter will be 1500+, and that's a promise. If you've already forgotten, // denotes telepathic conversations.**

**Hermione POV**

I was sitting on the edge of my bed reading _Hogwarts, A History _for the umpteenth time. Suddenly, the door opened, and my brother was standing in the doorway.

"HARRY! Ron he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Are you furious with us? I know our letters have been useless – but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh –" I threw myself at Harry, hugging him tight.

"Let him breathe, Hermione," said Ron, grinning, closing the door behind Harry. Still smiling, I let go of Harry. There was a soft whooshing sound, and Hedwig soared from the dresser to land on Harry's shoulder.

"She's been in a right state. Pecked us half to death when she brought your last letters, look at this – " Ron showed Harry his cut. Mine was just as deep, but had healed further than Ron's.

"Oh yeah," Harry said. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know…"

"We wanted to give them to you, mate," said Ron. "Hermione was going spare, she kept saying you'd do something stupid if you were stuck all on your own without news, but Dumbledore made us – "

" – swear not to tell me," finished Harry. "Yeah, Hermione's already said." I had a bad feeling about where this conversation was headed. Suddenly Harry rounded on me.

"Why?" he asked. "I've been going crazy all summer for any news any sign. You knew what was going on. You could've told me – no one would have known."

"Dumbledore made me swear not to tell you – in any form." How many times had I thought of doing that myself? And then I remembered –Ron was in the room.

"Whaddya mean, no one would have known?" Ron asked slowly.

**Harry POV**

I realized my mistake. Too late. /Hermione?/ I said, tentatively.

/Harry? We should tell Ron. He's our best friend. He deserves to know./

/Yeah./ I agreed. "Ron?" I asked. "There's something me and Hermione need to tell you."

"You think?"

"Yes, sorry. Um..." How would I begin?

"Remember when Harry and I had to go to Professor Dumbledore's office?" Hermione broke in. "The day before the second task?"

"Am I finally going to learn what happened then?"

"Yeah. So, we got up there and he told me that Ihadasister." I said all in a rush. Ron looked from me to Hermione and back again.

"So..."

"I'm Harry's twin sister." Hermione confirmed.

"And you have a secret way of communicating?"

"In a manner of speaking..." I said. "You see, we are telapathic."

"You're what?"

"Telepathic," said Hermione. "We can speak to each other using our minds."

"Woah."

"Yeah, I know. We found it overwhelming too." I replied truthfully.

/Hermione?/

/Yeah?/

/Since we're on a roll of telling people our secret - /

/Once you tell people it's not a secret anymore./

/Whatever. Anyways, I...I think we should tell Sirius./

/Yeah./

"HELLO?? Are you two holding a conversation?" Ron's over-loud voice startled me.

"Wha - yeah."

"I could tell. You didn't respond until I yelled. Plus, your faces go blank and your eyes looked like they weren't focused."

"Wonderful," said Hermione, sarcastically. "Finally, we've mastered the Ronald Weasley imitation!" I cracked up.

**Later that evening...**

**Hermione POV**

It was late, around 10 or 11. Ron was already up in our room, snoring away.

Harry and I walked down to the kitchen together, careful not to wake Sirius's mother.

Sirius was poking around at something in the fridge.

Harry walked up to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Bloody-- Harry, what are you doing up at this hour?"

"I could ask you the same question."

Sirius looked around guiltily, then opened his mouth to give an excuse. "I-"

"Yeah?"

He stood there, his mouth hanging open and his mind blank for a moment, then changed the subject. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Um...actually _we_ wanted to talk to you about something." I fidgeted nervously in the doorway.

"'We'? Who's 'we'?" Then he noticed me. "OK." There was nobody else in the kitchen. I pulled out a chair and sat next to Harry.

"Sirius...we're twins."

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	4. Chapter 3: Revealed

**Disclaimer: I. Do. Not. Own. Harry. Potter. If you make me repeat that, I am liable to find you and - ...you have been warned!! ;);)**

**A/N: OK, so I've decided that I'll be writing more from Hermione POV...giving important events that happen to Harry from Hermione's POV. Plus, Hermione will take a much more active role than she does in the 5th book. Sorry this chapter took so long...I've been getting ready for the start of school :(. Plus, I had all sorts of schedule problems, and open houses, information nights, but here's the next chapter, and 1500 words, as promised. **

**From Chapter 2: "Sirius...we're twins."**

**Harry POV**

"You're TWINS?" Sirius asked in disbelief. I nodded.

"Woah. Wow. I never - that's just - James didn't - that's unbelievable!" I grinned at Hermione. /He's taking it better than we expected./ Not that we hadn't thought he was going to take it well, but just that he wouldn't believe us straightaway.

/YES!!/ Hermione was exultant. She had been afraid Sirius wouldn't accept her. I thought she was being stupid, but still. Then Sirius said something completely surprising.

"I'd always thought you were a lot like Lily. Even Remus thought so."

"Really?" Hermione squeaked.

"Yeah...you're not Lily reincarnate or anything, but your attitude, your bookishness, your smartness - it's just like Lily was." Hermione was practically glowing. This was just what Hermione needed to hear. Sirius grinned. "It's true."

"Thanks, Sirius." Hermione was so happy.

"Are you planning to tell anyone else?" The question was unexpected.

"Er... probably no." I answered.

"Whenever you're ready...but personally," said Sirius, "I would tell Molly, for one, and Remus."

**Hermione POV**

When Sirius said this, I realized he was right. Mrs. Weasley, who was like a second mother to both me and Harry, and Professor Lupin, our ex-defense teacher and mentor, both deserved to know. Harry opened his mouth to answer, and I cut in. "You're right Sirius." /Harry?/

/I was about to say the same thing./

/Oh, sorry./

/Um.../

"We'll tell them both tomorrow...unless you prefer we wake them up and tell them right now." I said, half teasingly.

Sirius mock - glared at me. "I don't know...as long as _I _don't have to wake up Remus." I laughed.

"Tomorrow morning then. We'll talk to Mrs. Weasley before she goes on Full Cleaning Rampage mode." Sirius laughed, while Harry gave me a slightly bemused look.

**The next morning...**

I walked into the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley was just supervising the cleaning of the last of the dishes. "Mrs. Weasley?" I said. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Harry enter to stand in the doorway. He gave a nod. "Mrs. Weasley, Harry and I were wondering if we could talk to you."

"Hmmm? Oh, yes dear, one second." With a flourish of her wand, the dishes put themselves in their proper places as did the cleaning supplies. She turned to face me.

"Mrs Weasley...see, last year, Dumbledore called me and Harry - Harry and I - to his office, right before the second task." Mrs. Weasley nodded, and Harry picked up my train of thought.

"He told us something about our families...something that had been kept a secret for fourteen years..."

I took a deep breath before saying, "He told us that...that we were twins."

Mrs. Weasley looked between us, back and forth. Then she said, "I've never noticed it before...but if you straightened your hair, Hermione, you would look so much like Lily..." She laughed quietly to herself. "...except you have James' eyes." That was really weird, but probably true. I grinned.

**That night...**

**Harry POV**

I tapped twice on Professor Lupin's door. Hermione was behind me, breathing down my neck...literally. Professor Lupin opened the heavy wooden door and let us enter his sparsely furnished room.

"Harry...Hermione... to what do I owe this pleasure?" Hermione smiled.

"We need to talk to you, Professor."

"Harry, as I am no longer your professor - " Hermione cut him off.

"True, but you were the best Defense teacher we ever had, so we still call you 'professor' out of respect."

Professor Lupin smiled. "I'm honored Hermione." She blushed.

"We have something important to tell you..." I said. "Sirius suggested we tell you, and we agreed completely."

/It's com-/

/No grammar lessons Hermione. Not now./

/How did you know I was giving you a grammar lesson./

/After 5 years, I can tell when one is coming./ I turned back to the task at hand.

"So, we didn't know this until last year, when Dumbledore told us..."

"...even Sirius didn't know..."

"...only Dumbledore. And he decided to tell us...that we were twins." I finished.

**Several days later...**

**Hermione POV**

I watched Harry carefully the night before. He was really nervous...and I couldn't go with him. Even though she was trying,what Mrs. Weasley said didn't help either. "O've ironed your best clothes for tomorrow morning, Harry, and I want you to wash your hair tonight too. A good first impression can work wonders."

Ron, Fred, George, Ginny and I all stopped what we were doing and looked at him. Harry nodded, pretending everything was alright, and continued eating, but I knew better.

"How am I getting there?" he asked, trying to appear unconcerned.

"Arthur's taking you to work." said Mrs. Weasley gently. I felt marginally better...at least Harry would have someone he knew well with him. From across the table, Mr. Wealey smiled encourgingly at him. "You can wait in my office until it's time for the hearing," he said.

Harry looked over at Sirius, but before he could even ask the question, Mrs. Weasley had answered it. I wished Harry had never even tried. He knew the answer, and even tentative hope could be crushing when denied. "Professor Dumbledore doesn't think it's a good idea for Sirius to go with you, and I must say I - "

"Think he's _quite right,_" said Sirius between clenched teeth. Mrs Weasley pursed her lips. Harry opened his mouth to ask something. /HARRY!/ I said.

/What./

/Don't push it any further...you know the reasons why, so don't ask anything more. Sirius doesn't like those questions, and it'll only make you feel worse./

/I'm _fine, _Hermione./

/Please stop. For everyone's sake./ I could hear Harry take a slow, deep breath.

/I'm sorry...this trial has me on edge./

/It has us all on edge./

**The next morning...**

I was a nervous wreck. It was Harry going on trial, but I was the ultra - nervous one. What-ifs filled my mind, and even logic would not quell them. _Calm down, _I told myself. _Harry's done nothing wrong. There's a law that - _another nasty voice cut in. _But the minister wants Harry expelled. He can find a way. He's the Minister of Magic! If he wants Harry expelled then there's noth - _I forced myself to stop thinking about Harry. I went downstairs to see if there was anything I could do to help Mrs. Weasley. Unfortunately, everyone was in pretty bad shape. Sirius was pacing, Ron was slumped on the tattered sofa, Ginny was wandering aimlessly through the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley was scrubbing one spot on the table as if it had done something nasty to her, and Fred and George were nowhere to be seen. They all looked up at my entrance, then went back to their activities.

Sighing, I went back up to my room. Harry was blocking me from his mind, and I didn't want to increase his tension. I picked a random book off the shelf and settled down on the edge of my bed. I read the book for an hour, but didn't even remember the title. _How long is the stupid hearing going to take, anyways?_ I decided to take a shower, but after half an hour of scalding water pouring down on me, I felt no better. Then suddely I felt Harry open up his mind again. With bated breath I waited for the verdict.

/CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES!!/ He shouted triumphantly.

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	5. Chapter 4: Disappointments

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Now SHUT UP!!**

**AN: I'm going to discontinue this story. No one has reviewed, so that means no one cares. So why should I? That's why this chapter is short. If you want more, you will review. If you want me to continue this story, please review. If you have any ideas for this story, PM me. Next up...the gang returns to Hogwarts. **

**One hour later…**

**Harry POV**

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you," Hermione said. She was holding a shaking hand over her eyes. "There was no case against you, none at all…"

"Everyone seems quite relieved though, considering they all knew I'd get off," I said smiling. Since I'd gotten here, everyone had said the same thing, with some variation. Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George, and Ginny were doing some weird sort of war dance, chanting _he got off, he got off, he got off._I was exuberant. As soon as I had walked in, Hermione had practically tackled me with a huge hug. Not even Lucius Malfoy could have ruined my good mood right now.

**Later that day...**

**Hermione POV**

Ron stuck his head into mine and Ginny's rooms.

"Letters have just arrived." He tossed two letters onto our bed then went off in search of Harry. Me and Ginny grabbed our letters, tearing them open. Ginny immediately looked at the booklist, assessing the cost. I found three letters in my envelope. Confused, I pulled out the third piece of parchment, and a red and gold something fell onto my lap. I picked it up. It didn't register at first. I just stared at the object. It was gold and red, with a Gryffindor lion, a large P on its chest. Then, like I had received a electric shock, I dropped the badge. Ginny looked up at the clatter. Numbly I picked it up and held it out to her. She took it, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Hermione, YOU'RE A PREFECT!!" she shouted, flying over to me and giving me a hug. I grinned. /Harry?/

/Ron give you your letter?/

/I'm a prefect!!/

/What?!?/

/I'm a prefect, Harry, a prefect! I bet you're one too./ There was a pause, then -

/Ron is./ I could tell he was disappointed.

/Harry.../

/It's fine. I guess all of our crazy adventures would've counted against me./

/That's not true. Dumbledore likes you. I bet he thought you had too much to worry about as it is...Voldemort, the trial, Voldemort.../

/I guess...anyways Mrs. Weasley will be so happy. It'll be worth it./ Me and Ginny were already heading to the boys' room.

"Congratulations Ron! I'm a prefect too!" I said.

"How did - oh."

"This is wonderful, isn't it?" Just then, Mrs. Weasley entered, carrying a pile of freshly laundered robes.

"Ron said the booklists had come at last," she said, glancing around at all the envelopes as she made her way over to the bed and started sorting the robes into two piles. "If you give them to me I'll take them over to Diagon Alley this afternoon and get your books while you're packing. Ron, I'll have to get you more pajamas, these are at least six inches too short, I can't believe how fast you're growing...what color would you like?"

"Get him red and gold to match his badge," said George, smirking.

"Match his what?" said Mrs. Wealey absently, rolling up a pair of socks and placing them on Ron's pile. This was going to come as a shock.

"His _badge,_" said Fred, with the air of getting the worse over quickly. "His lovely shiny new _prefect's badge_." I knew Ron was about to get completely embarrassed.

"His...but...Ron, you're not...?" Ron held up his badge.

Mrs. Weasley let out a very un-Mrs. Weasley type shriek, and began to praise Ron. That reminded me...I needed to owl my... my _parents_ and tell them the good news. After Mrs. Weasley had left, I asked Harry if I could borrow Hedwig.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." he said unenthusiastically.

"Harry I'm sorry - "

"It's fine. You don't need to apologize. I understand. It's just, I would have liked to be a prefect." He smiled at me. "I'm happy for you and Ron, but..."

"I know what you mean. I wish, you know, you could've..."

"I get it. That's fine. Borrow Hedwig. I'm sure your parents will be ecstatic. I just want to be...alone for a bit. I'm _fine, _Hermione!"

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	6. Chapter 5: Wishful Thinking

**Disclaimer: I wish I was J.K. Rowling, but I'm not.**

**AN: This is the last chapter of this story that I'm posting. For the past two chapters, I have recieved 1 review!! I'm going to stop writing this one if I do not recieve at least 5 reviews for this chapter. I'm sorry you all hate my writing so much, but personally, I don't think it's that bad.**

**On the train...**

**Hermione POV**

"He shouldn't have come with us," I said, worried.

"Oh lighten up," said Ron, "he hasn't seen daylight for months, poor bloke." Didn't Ron get it?? I was concerned for _Sirius' own safety!_ Boys.

"Well," said Fred, clapping his hands together, "can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discus with Lee. See you later," and he and George disappeared down the corridor to the right.

The train was gathering still more speed, so that the houses outside the window flashed past and they swayed where they stood.

"Shall we go and find a compartment, then?" Harry asked Ron and I. I exchanged a look with Ron.

"Er," said Ron. He could be so eloquent at times.

"We're - well - Ron and I are supposed to go into the prefect carriage," I said awkwardly. Ron seemed interested in his fingernails. Oh god.

"Oh," said Harry. "Right. Fine."

"I don't think we'll have to stay there all journey," I said quickly, trying to make things at least marginally better. "Our letters said we just get instructions from the Head Boy and Girl nd then patrol the corridors from time to time."

"Fine," said Harry again. "Well, I - I might see you later, then."

/I'm sorry!/ I said anxiously.

/You didn't ask for it, it just happenned. Whatever. I'll be fine./ So, chewing my lip and throwing glances over my shoulder, I followed Ron down the corridor towards the front of the train.

**Hogwarts, right after the Sorting Hat's song...**

**Hermione POV**

"Branched out a bit this year, hasn't it? said Ron, his eyebrows raised.

"Too right it has," said Harry.

"I wonder if it's ever given warnings before?" I asked.

"Yes, indeed," said Nearly Headless Nick. He continued on about the subject, butI was staring at Harry. He had been acting odd in the carriage.

/Are you all right?/ I sent to him.

/Yeah I'm fine, why?/

/You seemed a bit...off in the carriage./

/So you didn't see them either?/ The thought seemed to have slipped out of him without his volition.

/See what?/

/Nothing. Never mind. Forget I ever said anything./

/Harry.../

/I'm FINE!! If you ask me one more time, I'll - / I never found out what he would do to me, because at that moment, Professor Dumbledore began to talk.

"Well, now that we are digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start of term notices. First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know that by now too." Ron, Harry and I exchanged smirks.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for wat he tells me is the four hundred and sixty - second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be chacked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly - Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridgem our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." I clapped, but unenthusiastically. Where was Hagrid. Ron and Harry seemed to be thinking something along the same lines, jugding by their expresions.

Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the - " He broke off, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge. As she was not much taller standing than sitting, there was a moment when I didn't understand why Professor Dubledore he stopped talking, but then Professor Umbridge said_, "Hem, hem_," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

Dumbledore hid hi surprise well, sitting down and looking attentively at Professor Umbridge. But I could tell that other Professors were not taking it half as well - Professor McGonagall had compressed her mouth into a thin line, never a good sign, and Professor Sprout's eyebrows were reaching for the ceiling.

No new teacher - not even _any _teacher, had ever interrupted Professor Dumbledore before. Some of the students were smirking, exchanging glances; this woman obviously did not know how things were done at Hogwarts.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome." I dropped my head into my hands. Wonderful.

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	7. Chapter 6: Speeches and Translations

**AN: You people barely met the requirement. Once again, I want 5 reviews before I update the next time. Also, this chapter is pretty boring, but I'm struggling with what parts to skip over. Please give me some advice. I need to get to the Occlumency part fast, but it still has to make sense and have all the major parts. So please PM me, even if you have the tiniest idea of what to do. If I get enough reviews, you'll get the next chapter next weekend.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter, I wouldn't have to ask for reviews**

**Hermione POV**

This..._little toad, _was our DADA teacher? She was a ministry dolt, it was plain to see. I tuned into her speech, hoping for some clue of why this punishment was being inflicted upon us.

"Well it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" Umbridge said in this horrendous high-pitched, girly voice. Sh gave us this forced smile that looked like she was trying to- never mind.

"And to see such happy faces looking back at me!" I snuck a glance around. None of the faces I could see looked happy; on the contrary, they looked rather taken aback at being adressed like they were five years old.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all, and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Harry, Ron and I exchanged looks at this. I could tell Ron was fighting to stop himself from smiling.

/She makes me want to puke. She was at my hearing! She voted against me./ Harry said in my mind.

/She was? Oh god./

/What's - /

/Shut up! I'm trying to listen./

/There's nothing import - /

/SHUT UP!!/

/OK, OK!/

Umbridge was continuing her pointless blabbering, only now, it wasn't quite as pointless. "The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the Wizarding community must be passed down through generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished, and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

She was building up to somthing, but I didn't know what. She had begun by mentioning the Ministry, so -

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanance and change, between tradition and innovation, between the old and the new, must be struck.

"For progress is not always good, because some changes will be for the better..." I tuned out for a bit. It was apparent what was going on here. The Minister had sent one of his bureaucratic morons to come "fix" the school.

"...intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices the ought to be prohibited."

Dumbledore began to speak as I turned to Ron and Harry. For Ron's benefit, I spoke out loud. "Yes, it certainly was illuminating," I said.

"It sounded like a load of waffle. It was about the dullest speech I've ever heard, and I grew up with Percy!"

"There was some important stuff hidden in that waffle. Harry, if you saw that idiot at your trial, and she voted against you, it basically means that the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts. I'm pretty sure Umbridge has been sent here to keep an eye on Dumbledore and you, Harry. Don't interrupt! Umbridge is going to start changing things. New rules, stricter ones. They - the Ministry - is trying to get rid of what remaining power Dumbledore has...which can be accompliched by controlling the school!"

"Blimey, Hermione, you got all that out of one stupid speech?" Ron asked incredulously.

"It's called reading between the lines."

"There were no lines to read between!"

"It was a figure of speech, Ronald."

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	8. Chapter 7: Dreams

**AN: OK, so there was some error in posting my story, and it didn't show up, so I've excused the review thing for that chapter. But I want reviews for this one! Also, if you have any ideas, please, please, please PM me and give me some tips! Thank you to surferdude8225 for your suggestion. I think it's a really good idea, and I'm going to put it in. Just not in this chapter. Sorry!  
**

**Disclaimer: Please note that if I was J.K. Rowling, the book would look like this, and I wouldn't have to post on fanfiction.**

**Several Nights later...  
**

**Hermione POV...**

It was dark, oppressively so. Then I adjusted to the light. It was cool, yet stifling at the same time. This corridor scared me. Then I noticed a shadow at my side. The outline of a boy. He grasped my wrist, held a finger to his lips. Then, still holding my hand, he guided me forwards, purposefully. At the end of the corridor was a black door. The boy paused. Did I know him? And then he reached for the knob.

I woke up, sitting up immediately. What had that been. Clutching the blanket to my chest, I groped for my wand on the table beside me. Holding it gave me a spurt of reassurance. What was that dream? Why had it seemed so real. The boy and the door and the corridor.

I was shaken, and I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. I trudged down to the common room, and sat staring into the fire. The flames flickered, capturing my attention. I just stared and stared, my lethargic mind uncomprehending. Then I heard someone coming down the staircase that led to the boys' dormitory. Startled I glanced up. There was only a shadow, that looked very familiar...the same silhouette as was in my dream.

Harry entered the common room. "Couldn't sleep either, 'Mione?"

Flustered, I said "Oh, um..yeah, well...you're the boy from my dream!"

"What dream?" said Harry cautiously.

"You know...don't you?"

"I'd hate to think you're getting them too."

"Why? Have you been getting dreams like this multiple times?"

"Almost...almost every night. Except, tonight's was different. There was a shadow of a girl."

"Me."

"Well, I couldn't tell it was you, but I knew that you were there to help me. So I brought you to the door. I wasn't sure whether or not I should open it, and when I was about to, the girl disappeared. "

"I was scared. Sorry. So what's on the other side of the door."

"Doors."

"I didn't see more than one door."

"No...I mean on the other side of the door are even more doors."

"Oh."

"There's a circular room. And it has doors everywhere. When I get into that room, I usually wake up. But..."

"But what?"

"Never mind. It was just something stupid."

"Yeah right." I said skeptically.

"Well, as soon as I stepped into the room, it vanished. I felt like things were spinning around me. And then..."

"And then what, Harry. You can tell me."

"I dreamed about _her. _Our mom. She was there, dancing and twirling. A blur. There was music playing. And there was someone else in the doorway. A shadow. I couldn't tell who he was. He was handsome...he had black hair. But he was also a shadow. Do you get that? It seems weird, I know. I knew him somehow... whatever.

"He was watching her. And when she was done he started clapping. He was laughing. I think you were there too Hermione - in the dream, I mean. We were both there, as infants. I think it was a memory. Of before you were..."

"Adopted. Go on."

"And then the shadow entered the room and started dancing with her. They were so happy. Then Mom and...the shadow came over to us. We were just there, lying together. And then they kissed...and I was transported out of the room. I woke up. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it was a memory."

"What's the point? Who was the shadow? Why didn't I dream about it?"

"That _is _the point, Hermione. I couldn't tell who the shadow was. But I know one thing. It definitely _was not _James Potter."

**Review, plz! I need five to update again, but more are appreciated.**


	9. Chapter 8: OMG

**AN: Thanks for your reviews! Here's a long chapter (well longer than the last two...), full of more dreams, and hints! You probably already figured it all out, but still......7 reviews to update!! Thanks to those reviewers who have kept me going!**

**Disclaimer: Vide previous chapters' disclaimers. If you have, you know I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!!**

**The next morning...**

**Harry POV**

I awoke groggily to the sound of springs. Groaning, I opened my eyes and saw that Hermione had just gotten off the couch. We must have both dozed off. Hermione noticed me.

"Sorry Harry, did I wake you?"

"No, that's OK. I would've woken up anyways." I pushed myself up into a sitting position. "What time is it?"

"Um...I dunno...six-ish."

"Oh...about last night..."

"Maybe you were wrong Harry, or maybe it was just that - a dream. You were disturbed from your other dream, and this was just a figment of your imagination."

"As much as I want it to be, I know it's not." I returned. "I could feel it, I knew it was real. It was tangible...like it...how do I explain it?" I asked, exasperated. I couldn't figure out how to express it. "It was just so real, I knew it had to have been, once upon a time."

Hermione burst out laughing. "Once upon a time?"

"What's wrong with that expression?"

"Honestly, Harry, you grew up in the Muggle world, didn't you ever read anything?"

"Read? I wasn't ever allowed a book."

Hermione's laughter drained away. Fast. "Sorry, Harry...I just forgot... anyways, that's how stories about princes and princesses, and _magic _start."

"Then maybe we need to find the truth about our once upon a time."

"Very eloquent, Harry."

"What does eloquent mean again?" I actually had never known what it meant in the first place, but i figured Hermione already knew that. 'Mione knew _everything. _Except for the identity of the shadow. Who was he? Why was he with Mom? Was it possible that _he _was our...no. I was the son of James Potter. But my mom had...issues. Oh God.

**That night...**

**Hermione POV**

What Harry had seen was creeping me out. I had been zoning out all day, which was not good? What if I missed something important, that was going to show up in exams? Or worse, on the OWLS?? In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall called on me like five times, until Harry jolted me to awareness through our minds. Professor Flitwick had given us some charm to practice, and I hadn't even noticed until Goyle blew something up. Umbridge was her normal uninterested self, and didn't care, until I forgot to open up my book and do some zombie reading.

Professor Snape gave me detention for being preoccupied. Me, a prefect, detention! DETENTION!!! That was an almost first. Almost. Hanging around Harry and Ron (Harry especially) made certain that you would get detention, but I had never gotten detention for simply staring off into space, thinking about far more pressing matters than Potions. Though I might fail my OWLS if I didn't pay attention...

Anyways, now it was nine at night, and I was doing my homework. I had a feeling I was going to be down in the common room until I fell asleep over my homework...I was that scared of falling asleep. Finally, weary, I went into the girls' dormitory. No point in being uncomfortable while having nightmares. Whatever. I tossed and turned for about an hour, before finally slipping to sleep.

It was the room again...I saw the shadow that was Harry. This time I followed him into the circular room he had told me about. We just stood in the middle of the room for a minute. Nothing was happenning. Then Harry gripped my hand. I turned to look at him and...

We were in a room. There was a big window in the wall. Light was pouring out of it, bathing the room in a golden aura. There was a lady - I had seen her before in pictures...she was Lily Potter, my mother. Suddenly, she began to dance. There were strains of music playing in the background. I tried to catch them, but I could only hear sections. The dance was amazing, beautiful, captivating...

And then I remembered "The Shadow" - as I had dubbed him. I spun around, and saw him leaning in the doorway. I gestured to Harry...but he was already looking. I could see what Harry meant by a shadow. I could tell that he had black hair - and was handsome...kind of. But6 he was also a shadowy blur. And I could understand why Harry had this absolute conviction that this was a memory. I was sure too.

Mom had finished dancing. Even though I could she could not see or hear me, I clapped. The shadow was clapping too. Mom gave him a mock bow, and then turned towards a corner of the room. For the first time, I noticed Harry and I as babies in the corner. The shadow headed there too. Mom whispered something to us. One of the babies gurgled - I couldn't tell who. Then the shadow kissed Mom, and I was transported out of the dream.

I woke up. My eyes flew open, and I simply lay there.

/Harry?/ I asked, tentatively, hoping he was awake.

/Yes, Hermione?/

/I. HAD. BLACK. EYES./

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	10. Chapter 9: Teachers

**Runa - No, posting a review 7 times will not make me update any faster - I want 7 separate reviews.**

**surferdude8225 - Did you really think it was creepy? Well, it wasn't supposed to be, and this story is not going to be taking any creepy turns any time soon.**

**AN: Well, I know this is pretty fast, but I just had this idea in LA today, when we were supposed to be reading Lord of the Flies. Anyways, I'm going to do this chapter, and then have it go straight to that creepy dream with the snake and Occlumency. Otherwise, this story is going to drag too much. Oh well. PLEASE REVIEW!!! I want 7 reviews before I update again, OK???? Thanks to all my consistent reviewers, you keep me going!!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. (Sorry, I couldn't come up with anything else!)**

**A month later...  
**

**Hermione POV**

Harry and I had given up on finding out the mystery of the shadow. I had the same dream almost once a week, but it had stopped haunting me. Things were too hectic to be hung up on it. Anyways, I know had a new idea that revolved around Harry...something necessary, but something I knew Harry would not like. It was almost midnight. Ron and I were waiting for Harry to come back from yet another Umbridge detention. The barbarian.

"She's an awful woman," I said quietly after Harry had entered. " _Awful._"

"Yeah. " said Harry flatly. "We've established that much already."

"We've got to do something. I was - " I glanced nervously at Harry. "I was thinking that maybe the time's come when we should just - just do it ourselves."

"What?" said Harry, throwing me a suspicious look. He knew something was up.

"Come off it," groaned Ron. "You want us to do extra work? D'you realize Harry and I have been behind on our work since the second week of school?"

"But this is much more important than homework!" I said, vehemently. They were _such _idiots.

"Are you OK, Hermione?" asked Harry tentatively.

"Yeah...I didn't think there was anything more important in the world - no universe - than homework." said Ron, as if explaining it to a toddler.

"Don't be stupid, of course tere is!" I said. "It's about preparing ourselves, like Harry said in Umbridge's first lesson, for what's waiting out there. It's about making sure we really con defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year - "

Ron cut me off. "There's not much we can really do, is there?" He said in a defeated voice.

"No, I agree, we've gone past the stage where we can just learn things out of books," I agreed. "We need a teacher, a proper one, who can show us how to use the spells and correct us if we're going wrong." I was building up to my main point...

"If you're talking about Lupin - " Harry began.

"No, no, I'm not talking about Lupin," I wanted to scream, but I kept calm. "He's too busy with the Order and anyway, the most we could see him is during Hogsmeade weekends, and that's not nearly enough."

"Who, then?" said Harry, confused. I sighed.

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked, looking from Harry to Ron and back to Harry. "I'm talking about _you, _Harry."

/NO. NONONONONONONO!/

/Harry -/

"Please talk out loud," said Ron. "I want to know what's going on too!"

"Harry, we need to be able to fight. To defend ourselves. Horrible things are going to start happening now, and we need to know!"

"Why me? I'm sure McGonagall - "

"It has to be a student. They're the only ones who can put in enough time, and besides, we can't have any more teachers getting in trouble with Umbridge."

"But - "

"You're brilliant at it Harry."

"And you're better."

"In technique." I argued. Harry was so much better at everything else. He just had to believe it himself.

"And in practical."

"Not as good as - "

"Who taught me all those spells last year for the tournament?" Harry interrupted. "Who? Who consistently beats me in every Defense Against the Dark Arts exam each year?"

"What about in third year? Those dementors? I was useless."

"Well I had been learning all year...Hermione, I can't."

"You will. You have to. For the good of the wizarding world." Harry shrugged in defeat.

"Harry you are brilliant. I'll help you. Promise. Me and Ron - Ron and I - we'll be there." Ron nodded enthusiastically.

"But - I'm not that good. Neither of you - You've never had to face him, have you?" Harry had another argument. "You think it's just like memorizing a bunch of spells and throwing them at him, like you're in class or something? The whole time you're sure you know there's nothing between you and dying except your own - your own brain or guts or whatever -

"Like you can think straight when you know you're about a second away from being murdered or tortured or watching your friends die - they're never taught us that in their classes, what it's like to deal with things like that - and you two sit that acting like I'm a clever little boy to be standing here alive, like Diggory was stupid, like he messed up - you just don't get it, that could have just as easily been me, it would have been if Voldemort hadn't needed me - "

"We didn't mean it like that mate," said Ron, looking aghast. I had no words left in me after that speech, but I was glad Ron did. "We weren't having a go at Diggory, we didn't - you've got the wrong - " Then he looked at me.

"Look, Harry," I said. "If not for us, than do it for Cedric, do it for the people who were killed because of - of V - Vol - Voldemort." Once I had said Voldemort's name, I realized that it wasn't so bad, so hard...that Voldemort didn't deserve the respect our fear gave him.

"Do it for them," I said. "You're parents. Cedric." I took a deep breath. "Do it for them." I repeated. "So maybe...we'll all have a fighting chance. To live. To stop Voldemort. To rally together. Do it for those who are gone, so there won't be anyone to memorialize after V - Voldemort's truly defeated." I had no idea where these words were coming from.

There was a silence.

"All right." said Harry, finally. "But you have to help me - help me teach. I guess there's no other way... we have to do what needs to be done, so that things will go right this time around." His voice cracked. "Diggory - Cedric...it won't happen again. I promise"

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	11. Chapter 10: Now I'm Scared

**Gryffindorksrule: I'm sorry if you feel that way. If you don't like it, don't read it. And about the reviews...if I don't ask for reviews, then I will never get any. You may like it and want me to update (not you so much....I'm being general) but if you never review me, I'll never know. Plus I'm not like those authors who refuse to update if they don't get any reviews. I mean, no one's ever filled me review minimum. (Which means, I've never gotten more than five reviews for any one chapter, and that makes me sad...) But I still update. It's more like a friendly suggestion. As for the other things you said, I have answers for all of those, and you will find out...just not yet.**

**Melora: Thanks for the website, I think I will apply.**

**AN: Thanks to my reviewers. This chapter did not include the part in Dumbledore's office because I am now going to skip straight to Occlumency, so I can proceed with the story. But the important parts that will be skipped because of that will be skimmed over in the next chapter. So don't worry. This chapter is fairly short, I am aware of that, but it will be made up for. That's a promise.**

**Disclaimer: Why would I be posting on fanfiction if I was J.K. Rowling?  
**

**Hermione POV**

It was the room again, the oppressive dark and cold that I had now began to view, scarily, as familiar. But something was off. I could feel Harry's presence, but couldn't see him. I twisted around, looking…and that's when I realized that I couldn't. Couldn't twist around. Couldn't move of my own accord, for that matter. Panicking, I took stock of my surroundings, drawing of the familiarity…and realized why things seemed different. I was moving, on the ground, touching the floor. Slithering, like a filthy snake.

I had a pathological fear of snakes. The basilisk, just knowing it was present, had scared me silly. Harry could speak parseltongue, and he was my twin, but I knew I would never get over this one fear. Maybe it made me despise Slytherins even more. But time had dulled the fear…it was no longer unearthly, no longer made me want to scream and run, or murder the snake on sight, depending.

Anyways, I felt that pressing, absolute fear. I was a snake. This terrified me more than you could possibly imagine. I writhed, and screamed, and flailed, knowing it was dream, but unable to get out of this nightmare. I could still feel Harry – where was he? I had no control over myself. Oh god, I thought, I was going to die.

I looked ahead, into the corridor. It appeared empty…and then there was an outline of a man. I thanked the gods that I could still think for myself. I knew I was in a dream, trapped, unable to get out. I thrashed again. Trying to wake myself up, to no avail. The man grew closer and closer. He appeared to be sleeping…and then a shock of red hair stopped me cold.

We almost went past Mr. Weasley, but then he woke up, and got to his feet, groping for his wand. I wanted to tell him to fall back asleep, that he could save himself. He towered above me, and the dirty snake that I was. And then we lunged. And again, and again. Blood splattered everywhere. I was crying, screaming, trying to make it stop. I fought, tried to pull out of the dream…and then suddenly I was in my bed.

Shaking, shivering, I lay there for a minute, trying to get my bearings. Then I focused. Ginny Weasley was kneeling next to my bed, her hand on my shoulder, her face concerned.

"Hermione?" she whispered.

"Ginny? Why're you here? This isn't even your dormitory." I was still shaking, and there were tears pouring down my face.

"I could hear you across the hall. You were screaming and sobbing and pleading with someone. I'm surprised your roommates haven't all woken up."

"I've been screaming in my sleep for quite some time now, Ginny. They all go to sleep with charms around them to drown out the noise."

"Oh."

Then I remembered. "Ginny! Your dad! Oh my god…I have to talk to Professor Dumbledore. Now!"

"OK. Here." Ginny deftly opened a drawer and threw me a Hogwarts robe. "Put this on, let's go!"

"You believe me?" I said, shocked and confused.

"Well, yeah…Hermione, you're my best friend here, and when I wake up to you screaming and crying and _writhing, _I'm going to believe you right away. And I'll help you. I promise."

I grinned despite myself. Ginny was the best friend a girl could ask for. I threw on the robe and followed Ginny downstairs, taking the steps two at a time…

…only to find Harry, Ron, and Professor McGonagall already there, heading through the portrait hole. Harry saw me, and I could tell from his eyes he'd had the same dream, the same feeling of reality.

"Hermione?" said Harry.

"Ginny?" said Ron.

"I…had the same dream as Harry." I blurted out. "I – we have to talk to Professor Dumbledore, now!"

Professor McGonagall and Ginny both looked incredulous that Harry and I had just randomly shared the same vivid nightmare. Wonderful. I made a split second decision to tell them both.

"This is secret." I said, sounding like a six year old. "Harry and I – we're twins."

Ginny looked between the two of us, like she was seeing us both for the first time. Professor McGonagall looked surprised, then shrugged off the expression.

"That's not important," snapped Harry, impatiently. "I mean, it is important, but not right now. We need to see Professor Dumbledore!"

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	12. Chapter 11: Occlumency

**Azera-v: Maybe...I'm considering it, but that will be well into the future, so...not right away, no.**

**Gandalf the Grey-Edelweiss: Thank you. Really. Next time, though, I'm OK if you just review the last chapter as opposed to every one. But if that's how you do it...I'm fine with that.**

**AN: So, I've _finally_ decided how I'm going to do this. Maybe about three of four more chapters, and then this story's going to end. But then I'm going to pick up where I left off in a new story. That one will start with the sixth book, while this one will end with the fifth book. If you have any other idea on how it should be done, please PM me. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed my story so far. This time, ten reviews to my next update! And I know that this is also short. I'm kind of experiencing a half writer's block. So sorry. Someday I'll make it up, I promise.  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own J.K. Rowling. I mean Harry Potter. I mean, I'm _not _J.K. Rowling. Never mind. Whatever. You get the point.**

**After Valentine's Day...**

**Hermione POV**

Again, again, again. Relentless. Snape was an unforgiving, cruel jerk. He had gone tearing through my head multiple times; it was killing me.

"Get up, Potter, Granger."

A couple of weeks had gone by since my last disturbing dream. They all took place in that same cold corridor - in what we now knew to be the Department of Mysteries. And yet, every time we had Occlumency, I was forced to relive what was literally my worst nightmare. And once again I was lying on the floor of the cold dungeon.

"That last memory," Snape said. "What was it?" Like we were going to answer. He had no business digging in our heads in the first place.

"I don't know," said Harry getting to his feet and offering me a hand. "You mean the one where my cousin tried to make me stand in the toilet?"

/Way to change the subject./ I said, silently.

/Yeah, but he knows what the last one was. There's no way I'm explaining that./

/His opinion of you can't go any lower. The worst thing that could happen is that you'll be sent to a crazy people place. At least then you won't have to undergo torure every week./

/Very funny./

"No," said Snape softly, dangerously. "I mean the one concerning a man kneeling in the middle of a darkened room..."

"It's...it's nothing," said Harry. I bit my lip and looked at the ground.

I could feel Snape's gaze. Remembering hat eye contact was crucial to Legilimancy, I began memorizing a stone on the ground.

"How do that man and that room come to be inside your head, Potter?" asked Snape.

"It - " said Harry, looking around wildly.

"It was - just a dream I - we - had." I supplied, swallowing hard. Snape turned to me.

"A dream." He repeated.

There was silence. I stared at a large dead frog suspended in a purple liquid in a jar.

"You do know why we're here?" Snape's voice was low and dangerous. "You do know why I am giving up my evenings to this tedious and aparently unproductive job?"

"Yes." I answered stiffly.

Snape rounded on Harry. "Tell me Potter. Why. Are. We. Here?"

"So we can learn Occlumency." said Harry glaring at a point on the wall.

"Correct. And dim though you may be" - here he also glanced at me. How I hated him. "I would have thought that after two months' worth of lessons you might have made some progress. How many other dreams about the Dark Lord have you had?"

"Only that one." I jumped in.

"Ms. Granger, I asked Potter, not you. Shut up." He turned again to Harry. "Perhaps...perhaps you actually enjoy having these visions and dreams Pot-"

"You think he enjoys this? You think we like sharing Voldemort's mind? You are - "

"Granger, I do believe I've told you to shut up." Snape spoke through clenched teeth. "Anyways, that is just as well, because you two are neither special nor important, and it's not up to you to find out what the Dark Lord is saying to his Death Eaters."

"No - that's your job, isn't it?" Harry shot back. I winced. That was not a good thing to say. And I was talking.

Snape's face looked almost satisfied. His eyes were glinting. "Yes, Potter. That is my job. Now, if you are ready, we will start again..."

He raised his wand. "One - two - three - _Legilimens!_"

But I had pulled out my wand, and saw that so had Harry. "_Protego!_" We shouted. We looked at each other in surprise for a split second, and then -

It was the room again. The one bathed in gold sunlight. Mom was dancing. It looked the same as the dream that Harry and I had shared multiple times...yet different. I spun around...and saw that I could see the man in the doorway. It was Snape.

His nose wasn't hooked...and his hair wasn't greasy, either. But there were the same eyes. I watched transfixed in horror as he began to clap...and then they walked over to the babies- us - and then...

"ENOUGH!"

I staggered back as if pushed. Harry looked pale and shaken. Without stopping to think, I grabbed Harry's hand, pushed open the dungeon door, and ran. Harry stumbled along with me. Finally, we reached the common room. Ron was waiting. He stood when he saw us.

"What happened?"

I drew a shaky hand across my mouth, then fled to the girl's dormitory. I bolted into the bathroom, then vomited. Shaking, I collapsed against the wall, and let the sobs take me.

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	13. Chapter 12: Thoughts

**Kirsten Bradshaw: To what dream?**

**AN: So, I felt like continuing and updating really fast. So my review quota is nowhere near filled. That's OK, this time. But next time I want ten reviews. THANKS!!! But I know this is short too. Ugh. I need to find a balance. Also, take the poll on my profile. I want to know everyone's opinions, otherwise I'll randomly pick from the various character profiles I've made. I'm planning to introduce the new character quickly, anyways, so hurry up. Anyways, enjoy!!  
**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or other characters. However, the plot line is mine.**

**Right where chapter 11 left off...**

**Hermione POV**

/Hermione?/

/What the hell was that?/

/I - I don't know. You okay? You looked like you were going to be sick./

/I already was. Just now./

/Oh. That was, for lack of stronger word, disturbing./

/Like I said, what the hell was that?/ I slowly stood up and rinsed my eyes.

/Harry, head up to your dormitory. I'll meet you there./

/I'll come up to you./

/Boys can't go to the girls dormitories. But girls can go to the boys'./

/Okay./

/Bring Ron with you./ We all needed to discuss this. Why was Snape there, with mom? _Kissing _her. What scared me most was that I had black eyes. Like Snape. Which would mean that...no. I refused to accept that. Maybe this was just something that could have been, and we were blowing it way out of proportions. The only problem was that Snape had this memory in his head. As a memory.

I went into Harry's room, and wrinkled my nose at the mess. Boys. I would have commented on it, but I was way too traumatized to do that. Harry was sitting facing Ron, each on their respective beds. I sat next to Harry.

"So," said Ron, breaking the silence, "What happened? I mean -" He broke off.

/You didn't tell him?/ I asked Harry.

/We were in the _common room. _Too many ears./

"Um," I began lamely. "We - er - found something - and we -"

Harry picked up the story. He was way better at this. "So, we began as usual. And then Snape saw one of those, y'know, the dreams we have? He saw one. And he started lecturing us on the importance of Legilimancy, and how he was wasting his time with us, the usual. But neither of us could take it any more. The next time he tried to get into our minds, Hermione and I both used he shield charm on him. It wasn't planned or anything, but we did it together.

"We got sucked into his memories. Remember that memory-dream I was telling you about? We were put into that. 'Cept we could see the shadow this time. It was Snape. He was younger, less disgusting, but most definitely Snape. Then he yanked us out of the dream, and Hermione grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room, and all the way here."

"So you're saying -"

Harry nodded. "Yeah."

"But what does it mean?" I asked.

"Well - the way I see it is that either your mom was cheating on your dad, or your mom and Snape were secretly married, but they _pretended _that James as your father." Ron stated. Wow. He was smarter than I thought.

"Mom wouldn't cheat on dad - would she?" I looked at Harry.

"No, but the other option that Ron said is ridiculous."

"But Snape was a spy, right?" Ron pressed. "If anybody found out that Snape and your mom were married -" Ron drew a finger across his throat.

"True...but that's just...not right." I said, absurdly.

"I totally agree, but that's the only logical option." Ron said.

"Ron? Are you okay?" asked Harry.

"Yeah," I chipped in, "You've just made multiple _smart _and _logical _statements. You must be, like running a fever or something."

Ron looked offended. "Me? Not smart?"

I began to laugh. I honestly don't know why. It wasn't all that funny, I just needed something to laugh about. In bad or stressful times, people need an outlet. This was mine. Harry and Ron looked at me like I was crazy. Finally I stopped and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Sorry!" I gasped.

"Are you feeling all right Hermione? You aren't cracking are you? I mean - "

"I'm fine!" I snapped.

Harry backpedaled. "Sorry."

"It's fine." I turned back to the matter at hand. "So what do we do know? We have double potions tomorrow morning."

Harry looked aghast. "WHAT??"

"What do we do? It's not like we can skip - we have OWLs. But we can't show up because - because - " I was becoming panicked.

"Chill Hermione. We need to think about this." Ron said. As an afterthought, he added, "Logically."

I smiled despite myself. Then Harry spoke up. "Ron can take really detailed notes tomorrow, right? After all, you're soooo smart."

"Er - " Ron looked around wildly. "Fine."

"Then I can make copies of the notes, and we can study out of our textbooks. Plus I'm sure that the library will - "

"Slow down Hermione." Harry exclaimed. "Take a deep breath. In...Out..."

I did as told. "So?" I prompted.

"So...we'll take it one day at a time. We'll practice avoidance."

"For how long will that be possible?" I asked anxiously, chewing my lip.

"For as long as we need to. We can drop potions next year or something." Harry seemed surprised at himself for saying that.

"Oh!" I said. "But then - "

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Things will be fine, Hermione. I promise." I trusted Harry. More than myself. And so I agreed.

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	14. Chapter 13: And So it Begins

**AN: OK, it's been wonderful, but this is the last chapter of Story of My Life. But don't worry - though this is a kind of a cliffie, it will be continued in my sequel, In All the World. I loved writing this one. In All the World will pick up at the beginning of the sixth book. There will be explanations - that's what the first chapter will be devoted to. The first chapter will hopefully be up within a week. And there might be another one-chapter thing that I'm considering writing, that is related to this. Thanks to all my reviewers. You made my first story possible.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. But this particular plot line is partially mine.**

**Hermione POV**

Yet again it was the corridor. Black, foreboding. We raced across it, desperate this time. The door flew open, and then we were in the circular room. The identical, unmarked handle - less black doors, set against black walls, with only flickering blue light to see by. Harry muttered something unintelligible, and then the door closed. The room became almost unreal, the shivering blue flamed hanging like ghosts. Then the room began to spin. I clutched Harry's arm. This wasn't supposed to happen. Then I remembered.

This wasn't a dream any longer.

It was reality.

**Later...**

**Hermione POV**

I had barely dodged about a hundred curses. I was lucky to be alive. That purple thing that hit Neville could just as easily hit me. Yet here I was, my back against Harry's, five members of the Order here, Neville nearly dead, Ron attacked by brains, and several Death Eaters trying to get the prophecy that was clutched in Harry's hand. We took off running, away from Malfoy.

/Catch!/ Harry shouted in my mind. I caught it and held it protectively against me. Harry was scrambling up the steps behind me.

I heard a shout of"_Impedimenta!" _and then Malfoy stopped trying to curse me. Then I tripped as a curse flew close to my head. The ball slipped out of sweaty hands. Harry made a desperate grab for it, but too late. The orb shattered. A figure rose out of it, saying something that I couldn't hear over the din.

Then I something that made me want to smile. "Dumbledore!" I shouted.

"What?" I spun him around, pointing.

"DUMBLEDORE!!" I felt something like electricity shoot through me. _We were saved. _I looked up towards the dais. Bellatrix and Sirius were still dueling. Sirius was laughing at Bellatrix.

"Come on, you can do better then that!" Then Bellatrix's curse hit him square in the chest.

The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock. It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward through the ragged veil, which fluttered for a moment then fell still. I heard Bellatrix's triumphant scream as I fell to my knees, knowing that Sirius was gone. I shook like a leaf. Dimly, I heard Harry yelling for Sirius, and Lupin trying to reason with him. And then there was another bang and a yell. I looked up to see Bellatrix running, Harry following.

"NO!" I screamed. "Harry! HARRY! Come back!" I got to my feet, began running towards where he had just left. Someone grabbed me. I whipped around to see Lupin.

"Let - me - go!" I yelled, struggling.

"Hermione, don't. Please..." I stopped struggling.

/HARRY! Come back. Please, come back.../ He was blocking me from his mind. I didn't know anything. I felt Lupin let go of me, saw him running towards Tonks. I saw Dumbledore leaving, and hoped he was going after Harry. Hot tears streamed down my face. I wouldn't be able to lose Harry too.

Luna came up to me. We stood together, watching as the Order members made sure the Death Eaters were secure. I saw tears on Lupin's face. He had just lost his best friend...that was the three of them. He was the last true Marauder. I felt a pang of sympathy towards him.

Then suddenly, I felt a sort of rushing of air. And then my head felt like it was bursting open. I knew I was feeling Harry's pain, and I was also sure that I was dying. This was pain beyond imagining, beyond endurance -

I was gone from the room, locked in the coils if a creature with red eyes, so tightly bound I didn't know where my body ended, where the creature's began...we were fused together, bound by pain...it was inescapable. The creature was speaking, and I knew dimly that Harry was speaking, but not I...this at least, I had been spared. I heard the words, though...

"Kill me now Dumbledore..." I agreed. Blinded and dying I only wanted release...

"If death is nothing, Dumbledore, kill the boy..." No! Not Harry. I now fought the creature, futilely. Harry wouldn't, couldn't die. I felt a swell of emotion, and then the pain was gone. I was lying on the floor, shivering. I slowly turned on my side. Lupin, Kingsley, and Mad - Eye were crouched around me, panic plain on their faces. I knew I had yet again survived, and Harry had too.

I was shaking violently, too weak to get up. But blearily, I saw through the gap in the Order members clustered around me, the veil. It was fluttering strangely, erratically, slowly gaining strength. It was whipping around now, back and forth. Then suddenly, it was still. Then something happened. I gasped, and Lupin turned around. Blank shock turned on his face, and then he got up and stumbled towards the steps. I pushed myself up, trembling.

The white, luminiscent shape of a woman took a tentative step out of the shadow of the veil. She was yanked up by an invisible force, her arms out, her head thrown back. There was a sound like high wind. Then the wind stopped, and the woman was dropped on the ground in a heap. The whiteness flared brightly, then died. The woman sat up, her eyes closed, red hair falling around her face. And then she opened her bright green eyes, and locked them with mine, a slow pure smile spreading across her face.

**And so it ends... *tear* Please review. Tell me what you thought of my first story.**


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